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In 2005 the Building Regulations introduced the new Part L demanding all new boilers installed to be categorized as high efficiency systems. This includes condensing boilers and combination (also known as combi) boilers which use a secondary heat exchanger (or an extra large single heat exchanger) to recoup the heat that would otherwise be expelled into the atmosphere via the boiler flue. The new Building Regulations Part L also called for heating controls, system insulation and hot water cylinders among other components to improve their respective energy efficiency levels.

The new requirements are much more demanding than previously in terms of the professional level of the system designer, the installer and the service engineer. The new systems are more integrated than old systems as all components are specifically designed to provide the right output (in terms of power) or demand the right input (such as in the case of heating controls). The engineer has to have good understanding in order to maximize the efficiency of the system.

Industry research calculated that since the introduction of part L of the building regulations, the savings of carbon emissions made by the UK domestic heating market have been substantial. Recently conducted research puts the amount of carbon emission reduction at around 2.4 million tonnes. The researchers further calculated that if the industry did not apply the new Part L requirements, and continued installing SEDBUK D rated boilers, the carbon emissions from domestic heating would have grown by over one million tonnes since 2005.

At present there is still plenty of room for improvement in terms of the amount of carbon generated and emitted by domestic heating in the UK. There are around four million old boilers still installed around the country which have significantly lower efficiency compared to modern A rated boilers. Installing a modern A rated boiler as a replacement, would reduce their respective carbon emissions by around 30%. A typical home in the UK generates around 5 tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions every year. Overall carbon emitted from domestic heating sources is responsible for around 16% of the total UK national CO2 emissions.

The government is trying to encourage carbon reducing behaviour within the home heating sector. It has scrapped stamp duty for carbon neutral homes and has introduced the home information packs which have an energy performance certificate as part of the pack. However, the stamp duty benefit does not apply to the vast majority of inefficient homes around the country making it less effective. The home information packs (with their energy performance certificate component) also have drawbacks in that they are only produced when the house is sold, and thus not having enough of an impact at other times to encourage reduction in carbon emissions.

There are several alternatives to adopt that can further reduce the carbon emission resulting from domestic heating within the UK. The most effective among them is the application of renewable energy technologies, such as solar water heating. If just 10% of the new homes that the government plans to build between now and 2020 adopt such technologies, it is estimated that around 150,000 tonnes of carbon emissions would be cut on an annual basis.

A combination of legislation and education can help the government achieve stretching targets of reducing the nation’s carbon emissions. By following training professional development guidelines, the UK plumbing and heating industry is widely ready for the market to steady and move towards more energy efficient systems and renewable energy technologies.

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